Pennsylvania

The Kane Experimental Forest was established on
March 23, 1932, though research had begun as early
as 1927. Its primary mission has been forest
management research, though watershed research was
included in the beginning and wildlife research is
part of the current program. Ongoing long-term
studies include individual tree and understory
vegetation measurements; treatments such as thinnings,
regeneration cuts, uneven-age cuts, and long-term
measurements of unmanaged forest. The Kane is used
heavily for training and tours for educational,
professional, and landowner groups. National
Atmospheric Deposition Program data have been
collected at the forest since 1978.

Climate

Approximately 1,100 mm of precipitation falls each year,
mostly as rain, including 10 cm per month during the
growing season. Wind events of all scales are the most
common natural disturbances. Precipitation can be
highly acidic, as the Kane receives some of the highest
deposition levels of both sulfate and nitrate in the eastern
United States.

Soils

Soils are derived from sandstones and shales that are
unglaciated, often with a fragipan.

Vegetation

Vegetation is primarily of the Allegheny hardwood
variant of the northern hardwood type. Tree species
include black cherry, sugar and red maple, American
beech, eastern hemlock, sweet birch, and striped maple.

Research, Past and Present

Research at the Kane EF is aimed at understanding
ecology and stand-development processes in stratified
mixed hardwood forests and the interactions of these
processes with forest management. The focus is on
regeneration processes, wood production, and, more
recently, on carbon sequestration and wildlife habitat.
Regeneration research has included studies of the effects
of white-tailed deer and the mechanisms of interference
from invasive, native understory herbaceous and woody
species.

Major Research Accomplishments
and Effects on Management

Regeneration studies conducted on the Kane were
translated into guidelines for assessing understory
regeneration stocking that changed the way harvesting
decisions were made throughout Pennsylvania and
beyond. Data collected from thinning studies form the
basis for the SILVAH stand growth simulator, and
management guidelines developed from KEF research
form the basis for the decision-support processes in the
SILVAH computer program. Through the silvicultural
training sessions conducted annually on the Kane, results from research there are widely adopted and were cited in
recent certification reports for public agencies through
the Forest Stewardship Council as one component of a
sustainable forest management program.

Collaborators

Collaborating institutions include the Allegheny
National Forest, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry,
Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh,
State University of New York, the National Atmospheric
Deposition Program, and several Forest Service research
work units.

Research Opportunities

In addition to the opportunities that arise simply because
long-term data sets are associated with many plots on the
Kane, there are numerous subjects for which data from
existing study plots could provide important insights on
herbaceous plant communities, soil mega- and
microfauna, lichens, fungi, genetics of tree and other
plants, and various wildlife communities. Because a great
deal is known about the disturbance history of much of
the Kane, such studies could be rich and rewarding in a
short time. There is also the opportunity to resume
hydrologic studies.

Facilities

There are two small bunkhouses, one housing up to six
people, and another in renovation housing two persons.
There is a small office, a garage, a 1930s-era blacksmith
shop, a shed, and a prefab classroom/conference facility
erected in 1985.